Of Course They're Secrets - They're In The Manual!

Introduction

What is this book?

This book is a compilation of Web Pages I've put together over the past few years. It also includes some articles I've written, and even a few e-mails. Some stories will be written in the "First Person", and others written in "Third Person" (as if it is being written about me).

Part of the problem of publishing it as an ordinary, linear book, is what order to place things in. Some things may seem a little dis-jointed. Other things I may go over again, and again, but keep in mind that I had no clue which web page a reader was going to visit, and had to explain some concepts each time they came up. Part of my philosophy in creating web pages is that every web page must "stand alone" as if 1) this is the web page a Search Engine has dropped the user into, and 2) this is the only web page on my web site the user will read. This means that each page needs a link back to the home page of the site, or other references, and that each page must explain all it's concepts on that page. See
<philosophy.html>.

What I need To Tell You Up Front!

If I ever do find a "paper" publisher, the following Table will be printed in the inside front cover, so you can read it in the bookstore, even if you don't buy the book.

0 is your Local Operator
00 is your Long Distance Operator

If you have a new Area Code, tell people!
Especially if you have elderly relatives

So just who is this guy?
Well, let's start with a file I've got on my web site.

Cheshire and The TAP Newsletter

The Cheshire Catalyst was the
last editor of TAP - The Hobbyists Newsletter
For The Communications Revolution, which was published in New
York City from 1971 to 1984. TAP first stood for the
"Technological American Party". It was changed to the
"Technological Assistance Program" when it was found to be
difficult to open a bank account without being a bone-fide
political party.

At one point in the late 70's TAP recieved a letter from a
Women's Lib group complaining about our use of the term "Ma Bell"
when referring to "The Phone Company". "After all," they said,
"Not only are women a down-trodden majority of employees within 'The Bell
System', but a 'Ma Bell' wouldn't have the physiological
equipment to do what it does to their employees, and
their customers". Ever since, the newsletter always referred to
The Phone Company as "Pa Bell".

TAP was founded by
Abbie Hoffman of "Chicago 7" fame
and founder of the YIPPIEs (The Youth International Party), and "Al
Bell", a phone phreak from Long Island as YIPL, the Youth International Party Line. Legend has it
that YIPL was founded on May Day of 1971. I've been told the date was about right, but May 1st was
decided upon because it made for an interesting legend.

After a year or two, Al Bell was wondering what all this "political crap" was doing in his technical
newsletter. He picked up his marbles, carried them up Broadway, and changed the name to TAP. A few
years later, "Tom Edison" of New Jersey took over the publication.

Tom ran the publication for many years, and did a fine job if it. The office in the Broadway loft
was closed in the late 70's, and publication continued out of Tom's apartment.
After Tom's apartment was firebombed in 1983, (the cops said it
was a very professional break-in, but the fire marshal said it
was a very amateur arson), Cheshire was told "Get this stuff out
of my basement by Friday, or it all goes in the dumpster!"
Cheshire, not a very good businessman (even to this day), did his
best to keep the rag going, but it died the following year.

As you may have noticed by now, Various hyperlinks in this book will take you to web sites throughout the Internet. Please learn how to use the "Back" button of your browser so you can return here. Sometimes, you need to close that page to return to wher eyou came from, especially if you came from the TOC (Table Of Contents) page which told you you'd be going onto the Web.

At the bottom of each individual section of this "book", will be "Buttons" to move you from section to section.